Pizza box with storage compartments

ABSTRACT

The pizza box with storage compartments allows users to possess the necessary materials to enjoy their pizza and beverages without having to purchase paper plates/cups or clean a lot of their dirty dishes after the meal. The box contains paper plates that may be accessed by removing the compartments located on the top and bottom of the pizza box. The plates are stored such that once the plates are removed the pizza is still protected by the box to preserve the freshness. In the event that one needs a cup opposed to a plate, the paper plates located in the pizza box compartments convert into paper cups via fold lines and adhesive.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

None

STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT

None

REFERENCE TO SEQUENCE LISTING, A TABLE, OR A COMPUTER PROGRAM LISTING COMPACT DISC APPENDIX

None

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a cardboard pizza box that can be partially disassembled and used as disposable paper plates and/or cups. Specifically, the invention is a detachable pizza box that provides six soak proof disposable paper plates and/or cups when partially disassembled. The disposable paper plates double as cups. For example: If there is a family of three who utilizes the detachable pizza box, three of the plates can be used to eat off of, and the other three can be folded into cups for beverages. Before the detachable pizza box is partially disassembled, it serves the basic purpose of preserving the freshness of the pizza. After the pizza box is partially disassembled to use as paper plates and/or cups, it still preserves the freshness of the pizza because the partially disassembled box does not leave any open holes that would cause the pizza/box contents to spoil.

2. Prior Art

Many households and businesses utilize disposable plates and cups purchased from the grocery store. Typically, when a group orders pizza for themselves and/or their guest, they use the store bought disposable plates to serve the pizza (or other foods that come in the pizza box) to prevent having to deal with cleaning dishes. By partially disassembling the pizza box to use the detachable/disposable paper plates and/or cups opposed to the store purchased disposable plates and/or cups, provides a practical multi use pizza box that promotes recycling.

When a group orders food from a pizza establishment and utilizes store bought disposable plates and/or cups, both the store bought plates and/or cups along with the pizza boxes, are thrown into the garbage. In addition, many people tend to purchase Styrofoam plates and/or cups to prevent food and beverages from potentially soaking through. Unfortunately, this poses an environmental threat, due to the fact that Styrofoam is not biodegradable. By utilizing the paper plates and/or cups that are detached from the multi use pizza box, not only does it save user's money, but also allows them to exercise eco friendly practices due to the fact that cardboard and paper are both recyclable and biodegradable. Lastly, the paper plates/cups that detach from the multi use pizza box are composed of paper (including recycled paper) with a thin wax layer to prevent leaking or soaking through.

A comparison that is relevant to how the multi use pizza box functions is the combination cup and food container. U.S. Pat. No. 6,889,859 to Leon, Richard Joseph which “concerns a lid for disposable or reusable beverage containers which facilitates access to the contents for addition of condiment and which enhances the users sensory perception of the state of such contents, without removal of the lid.” While this invention provides a practical means of consuming food and beverages for an individual, it is not ideal for a large group to utilize a product with this concept when their goals are easy clean up and decreasing the amount of money spent on disposable plates and/or cups.

The prior art discloses methods of ameliorating the usage of plates and cups separately. Various efforts have been made to mitigate the usage of non biodegradable plates and cups in order to preserve the earth's atmosphere and lessen the disposal of non eco-friendly materials into our land fills. However, due to the convenience of disposable plates and cups made of non eco-friendly materials such as Styrofoam, many people disregard simple practices that help preserve the environment. But, when users receive disposable paper plates and/or cups with their pizza order; they exercise environmental preservation tactics by default.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention provides a pizza box that can be partially disassembled to provide users with paper plates and/or cups. The purpose of the multi use pizza box is to capitalize on the opportunity to recycle and decrease the amount of money spent on disposable plates and/or cups, which is beneficial to both the atmosphere and the people. Additionally, once the pizza box is partially disassembled, the user has the option to use the plate to eat their pizza, or fold the plate into a cup for their beverages. The freshness of the pizza (or any food that comes in a pizza box) is not jeopardized because the partial disassembly of the multi use pizza box does not result in the box having any open holes that would cause the pizza/box contents to spoil.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a preferred embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 2 is an alternate perspective view of a preferred embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 3 is an alternate perspective view of a preferred embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a preferred embodiment of the invention including the paper plate after it is converted into a cup.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is provided in order to allow user's to partially disassemble a pizza box so that it may provide paper plates and/or cups. The purpose of the multi use pizza box is to not only hold pizza, but also provide paper plates and/or cups for the users. The invention is a multi purpose pizza box, referred to herein as a multi use pizza box which not only serves as a carrying box for pizza, but also utilizes thin compartments on both the top and bottom lids of the multi use pizza box, in order to hold paper plates and/or cups.

The process begins when the consumer peels away the adhesive bounded sticker around the boarder of the paper plate/cup compartment in the center of the pizza box lids (both top and bottom lids have the compartment); the top of the compartment will then come off revealing the paper plates within (The removable compartment is composed of the same cardboard as the pizza box, and camouflages as part of the box until removed.) Once the paper plates are removed from the compartment, the bottom of the compartment will be exposed. The bottom of the paper plate/cup compartment has now become the top of the pizza box, thus still keeping the contents of the box enclosed (The bottom layer of the compartment is part of the cardboard pizza box.)

With the paper plates removed from the box they may now be used to eat off of, or transformed into cups. The paper plates will have firm circles in the center to serve as the base of the cup once it is transformed. The paper plates will also have eight flexible creases that allow user's to easily convert the plate into a cup. Four parts of the paper plate will fold together as the inside layer of the cup, and the remaining four parts will fold together as an outside layer for the cup. An adhesive located on the outer layer of the folding plate will seal the converted paper plate into a cup, which will allow the cup to support the mass of a beverage; in addition to preventing the beverage from coming into contact with the adhesive. Prior to converting the paper plate into a cup, the user must remove the sticker covering the sealing adhesive. The sealing adhesive is located on the bottom of the plate to avoid the possibility of coming into contact with the contents of the plate.

Sheet 1 of the drawings shows a perspective view of the multi use pizza box. The multi use pizza box has a box top (1) and box bottom (2) containing storage compartments. The storage compartments are enclosed by cardboard inserts (4) which are sealed by peel off stickers/adhesive rings (3). Sheet 2 of the drawings shows an alternate perspective view of the multi use pizza box. The storage compartments mentioned contain open plates (paper plates) (6) that convert into cups (5). Sheet 3 of the drawings shows a detailed perspective view of the open plates (paper plates) (6) that convert into paper cups (5). The open plate (6) contains a centered circular base (for when it is converted into a cup), dotted fold lines, and rimmed edges (to be the rim of the cup once the plate is converted). Lastly, the plate has peel off stickers that provide a cup adhesive (1 (#1 on sheet 3 only)) to seal the cup into place once it is converted from the open plate (6). 

1. A pizza box comprising: A main body housing; and compartment inlays; and removable compartment tops; and paper plates/cups;
 2. The invention of claim 1 where the compartment inlays are embedded into the main body housing on the top and bottom of the pizza box.
 3. The invention of claim 1 wherein the removable compartment tops are bound by an adhesive seal.
 4. The invention of claim 3 wherein the adhesive seal is a peel off sticker containing glue.
 5. The invention of claim 1 wherein the paper plates/cups are stored in the compartment inlays.
 6. The invention of claim 5 further comprising fold lines, a circular base, and adhesive seals on the paper plates.
 7. The invention of claim 6 wherein the fold lines allow the paper plate to convert into a paper cup.
 8. The invention of claim 6 wherein the circular base of the paper plate serves as the bottom of the paper cup once the paper plate is converted.
 9. The invention of claim 6 where the adhesive seals allow the paper cup to remain secured together.
 10. The invention of claim 9 wherein the adhesive seal is a peel off sticker containing glue located on the bottom of the paper plate. 